"I ran a lot...".

Right-handed pitcher Choi Won-tae of the Samsung Lions proved his value of 7 billion won in free agency with his first scoreless performance. He delivered nearly perfect pitching in the game against the Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 10th. His record was 6 innings, allowing only 2 hits, 3 walks, and striking out 7 with no runs allowed. He led his team to an 8-0 victory, securing his fifth win of the season.

There were no major crises. In the bottom of the first inning, he allowed a hit to lead-off batter Yoon Do-hyun and a walk to Choi Hyung-woo, putting him in a one-out, two-on situation; however, he struck out Patrick Wisdom with a swinging strikeout. In the fourth inning, Wisdom got a hit, and there was an error by Diaz on a ground ball hit by Choi Won-jun, but he prevented any runs from scoring. In the fifth inning, he issued a walk to lead-off batter Lee Chang-jin but managed to quiet the following batters.

In the sixth inning, he faced slugger Choi Hyung-woo and threw four fastballs, inducing a ground ball to first base, while Wisdom hit a ball directly to the shortstop. Hwang Dae-in struck out swinging with a 148 km/h fastball to finish his appearance. Despite throwing 96 pitches, he was still full of energy. In the seventh inning, with the lineup leading 2-0, Park Byung-ho's solo home run and Lee Jae-hyun's grand slam in the eighth provided a pleasant victory.

He signed a 4-year, 7 billion won contract but had not shown that level of value until now. This was his first scoreless outing since his transfer. It was also his first quality start in a month. His pitching arsenal included a fastball reaching up to 150 km/h, a high-speed slider in the 140 km/h range, a changeup, and a curveball that showed near perfection.

After the game, he said, "I had not pitched well in previous games due to a lack of pace control. (Kim) Jae-seong knew that and mixed the changeup and curveball well, giving me good signs. Today, my breaking ball worked well. I was happy I could use all my breaking balls and fastballs. In the sixth inning, I threw a lot of fastballs. I want to thank Jae-seong for his help."

Moreover, he secured the victory against KIA's ace, Jaynes Nail. "It’s Tuesday today, and two starting pitchers (Won-tae and Reyes) were out. I really wanted to win against their pitcher Nail, and the hitters did well, and the defense was good, so we could win. When Byung-ho hit the home run, I thought we could win, and Seung-kyu and Jae-hyun hit grand slams that brought us momentum," he noted.

He also shared the secret to his scoreless pitching. A significant aspect of his preparation routine included running a lot. "Coach Choi Il-eon gave a special order to run a lot. I run about 80 to 90 meters at 80 to 90% effort. The next day, I run two sets of ten, and the following day I run short distances. It’s hard to run, but my condition is excellent when I pitch. I feel that my strength doesn’t drop when I throw, so it seems to be very good. My velocity is maintained," he explained. He found clues in his running.

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